Conventionally, information apparatuses such as personal computers, workstations, and mobile phones are provided with a system (multi-window system) which causes a plurality of screens (windows) to be hierarchically displayed on a display device such as a liquid crystal display and a CRT display. As such a multi-window system, there has been proposed a display control device which performs display switching processing for switching a display on a display device to a display desired by a user.
As an example of the display control device which performs display switching processing, there has been proposed a display control device in which a layout holding section (not shown) holds layout information of each hierarchically displayed screen when a user makes a holding request (e.g. refer to Patent Document 1). According to this display control device, in the case where the display on the display device is switched to the display when the holding request is made, the user refers to the layout information held in the layout holding section, and designates the screen which is displayed in the foreground of the display device when the holding request is made. The display control device re-displays each screen, which has been displayed hierarchically when the holding request is made, in accordance with the layout information of each screen including the designated screen. Thus, it is possible to switch the display on the display device to a display desired by the user.
Further, as another example of the display control device which performs display switching processing, there has been proposed a display control device in which a user is caused to designate a plurality of screens which are to be used together for switching a display thereto, the designated plurality of screens are assigned to one group to be iconified, and the icon is displayed on a display device (e.g. refer to Patent Document 2). According to this display control device, in the case where the display on the display device is switch to the plurality of screens designated by the user, the user selects the icon displayed on the display device. The display control device causes the plurality of screens assigned to the group of the selected icon to be displayed together. Thus, it is possible to switch the display on the display device to a display desired by the user.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 5-2382
[Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent No. 2787833